The Future of Casino Gaming

Advancements in technology have had a huge impact on the future of casino gaming over the last 10 years. They figure to have an even bigger impact in the coming decade. For the most part, it’s online casinos that have advanced the most of late. But if land-based casinos want to keep up, they better start making some investments of their own.

Let’s take a look at how technology innovation has impacted both. And also examine where both sides of the casino kingdom are aiming to go in the coming years.

Online Casinos Are Making Greater Advances

One of the biggest challenges facing land-based casinos, is that the online versions have made far greater advances over the last decade. Land-based casinos have long scoffed at online gaming. Viewing it as an inferior product and truth be told, in the late 1990’s, it was. Even to date, there are some games that simply aren’t the same. However, online casinos have made huge advances to the point where online gaming is now a viable option side-by-side with land-based gaming and it’s only going to get better.

Internet Speeds – with advances in internet speeds, not only do games load faster now, games developers can now make more complex games without having to worry about lag. This will have a huge impact on the future of casino gaming.

Processing Power – similar to internet speeds, computer processing power has grown by leaps and bounds. Computer RAM, processors and memory are as cheap as ever, and relatively affordable and powerful smartphones are available.

With these two factors alone, online gaming has made huge advances. Online slots have fantastic graphics – including some advanced bonus rounds. Some players even prefer playing them on their phones versus the more old school slots that are available in casinos. We’ve also seen the advent of live dealer casino games, which allow online players to play with a real, live human dealer who is dealing them in somewhere else.

The biggest advancement might be the fact that online casino gaming is far more accepted than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Why that’s important is because the more people play, the bigger the bonuses will grow. Land-based casinos still tend to have the edge in this regard. But that could change once more casinos starting hitting seven and eight-figure jackpots.

These are just a couple of examples of how online casinos have made huge advances in such a short period of time.

Where Will Online Casinos Go Next?

Online casinos are going to take big steps forward as technology affords them to. We know that processing power has been a limiting factor in the past but that’s no longer the case. What’s limited them now is software development – especially for VR headsets like Occulus Rift.

Once software brands really dive into VR headsets, we should see online casinos start to approach new heights. What that might mean is that when you put on the headset, you step into an immersive environment that looks like a real casino. At that point, you might even wonder why you need to go to an actual casino? If there are others joining you in this virtual world, and you’re playing with live dealers in it, this becomes the next best thing to actually appearing at a casino. Based on convenience, some people might even prefer it to the real thing.

A big key here will be adoption. As of now, the majority of people in North America have internet access and many of those have smartphones. However, only a very small minority has even tried out VR, let alone purchased one. Until those are adopted by the masses, this type of virtual gaming will be tough to spread.

Land-Based Casinos Are Starting To Adapt

As mentioned above, land-based casinos have looked down upon online gaming. At first, they figured it was just a fleeting fad. Later on, they started to view it as competition, and didn’t want to give up market share. Nowadays, we start to see land-based casinos offering online gaming side-by-side, so that players have the option. That also allows land-based casinos to compete in the online space.

The other key difference we’re starting to see is how land-based casinos are starting to incorporate more and more technology. For a long period of time, they kept their products the same, as everyone was fairly satisfied. Nowadays, we’re starting to see them incorporate more technology to improve their offering.

In the realm of slots, we’re seeing games that have more layers to them than just a few reels. With sports betting, we see more touchscreen kiosks to place bets (rather than standing in line for tickets). With table games, we’re seeing more cashless options as younger players don’t often carry around much cash.

What’s interesting, is that the online versus in-person challenge is not only something that casinos are faced with. It’s the same thing that sporting events, theaters and even workplaces are faced with. Many people will prefer to use the technology, rather than appear in person because it’s more convenient. However, the in-person experience has to improve as well to make sure that it’s still attractive. For example, casinos and sporting events have to have Wi-Fi readily available everywhere, because that’s what customers want. Beyond that, they need to have more technology on-site – along with other amenities – that let’s people know that if they’re staying at home, they do get convenience, but they are still going to miss out on something. As long as casinos continue to do that, they’ll continue to maintain an edge. Especially over online when it comes to the future of casino gaming.

Where Will Land-Based Casinos Go Next?

Land-based casinos have to invest and adopt technology at a faster rate than what they’re doing right now. For example, they can use facial recognition software that notifies casino managers when VIP’s arrive. What that might mean is that a seamless customer service experience starts then and there with the bartender preparing their favorite drink, the dealer getting ready for the action and the bank organizing the chips. Or maybe it’s more cashless technology where players can use things like the Cash App, Venmo or maybe even cryptocurrencies to get in the game. That way, instead of standing in line at the cage to cash in and cash out, players can game as they do online (without waiting).

Other advances that we’d like to see is the use of virtual reality in the casino. Land-based casinos should be at the forefront of gaming where players can pop on a VR headset – something that is too expensive to afford at home – and gamble or game in a virtual world. We’ve also seen a real passion for virtual games (or simulations) as online sports bettors love the Madden and NBA2K sims, and players in land-based casinos tend to enjoy the virtual horse races. Well, they should invest in more of that so that when you step into a casino, you feel like you’re stepping into an advanced, modern world.

If land-based casinos can continue to push the envelope in that regard, they’ll be able to compete with their online cohorts. If they continue to ignore the latest trends in technology, though, land-based casinos are going to be viewed more and more as a smoke-filled, old school way of the past.

What do you think is in the future of casino gaming? Are we soon going to be partaking in our own version of Ready Player One?

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Dave Golokhov

For nearly two decades, Dave Golokhov has been working with his passions in the mainstream media as well as the sports betting realm. Some of the highlights include hosting several radio shows on Sirius Satellite Radio, television appearances and interviewing hundreds of high-profile stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather. Dave is also the founder of WERSTARS, a website app to save and the moments of your life.